


Chaser for Something Harsh

by neon



Series: The Red Shot Bar AU [3]
Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, Facials, Hand Jobs, M/M, Making Up, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:07:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28651746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neon/pseuds/neon
Summary: Part Three of theRed Shot Bar AU: Avalanche doesn’t exist. Barret is the owner of theRed Shotbar in Sector 7’s slum, and Cloud is the former SOLDIER turned mercenary who’s rolled into town.Had been a stupid fight over nothing.Last thing Cloud said was, "You seriously piss me off," and Barret shot back, "Same to you, pal." Next day, Cloud was still fed up.With himself.
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Barret Wallace
Series: The Red Shot Bar AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858192
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	Chaser for Something Harsh

**Author's Note:**

> Newly published fic in the series, but this takes place sometime after "Lower Your Inhibitions".

Had been a stupid fight over nothing.

Last thing Cloud said was, "You seriously piss me off," and Barret shot back, "Same to you, pal." Next day, Cloud was still fed up.

With himself.

 _Damn stranger_ echoing in his head, he yanked his apartment door open to drag himself down the street to the bar. Found the way blocked immediately by Barret, his knuckles dropping from where they’d been ready to knock.

"—Barret."

"Uh… hey," said Barret. Behind his sunglasses, he scanned Cloud. "You headin’ out, or… maybe you got a minute?"

"Oh, uh — sure. Come in."

First time Barret had been in Cloud’s apartment, Cloud realized, after he ducked inside. Didn’t know it was possible, but how tall he stood made the small apartment look even smaller.

While he removed his sunglasses and hung them on the collar of his shirt, Barret gave the walls a quick glance, before turning within the cramped area to reveal to Cloud a hangdog look.

He rubbed the back of his head when he spoke. "Sorry for doin’ shit that pisses you off."

Should’ve been Cloud’s line. Cloud glanced guiltily away, before glancing back. He shrugged.

"I… stepped out of line. 'Sides… wouldn’t really ask you to ever change."

"Well… good." Barret shifted weight one foot to the other, and a corner of his mouth sloped steadily up with gladness. "That’s good."

The quiet that followed was awkward. Was on Cloud’s part, anyway. Not sure where to go from there, 'cause with anyone else he’d have already run before things got to this point. Would’ve been a hell of a lot easier. But everything was…

Different, with Barret.

Beating Cloud by showing up at his door first, unbelievably Barret was acting the more mature one. Never intending to let shit build up between them, he always kept things on the straight and narrow. Not letting Cloud get away after being an idiot, for one—

Cloud huffed under his breath when he realized. Finally found his type, huh?

Done waiting for Cloud to be the one to speak up, Barret had to tell him, "Well, c’mere."

Warily, Cloud walked over. Took barely two steps to cross his cramped place. Though his feet felt heavier than normal.

Closer, Barret prodded under Cloud’s chin to tip him back. Then ducked low to smooth everything over with a kiss, that Cloud sighed into. Things weren’t so bad.

Cloud slid his own fingers up and around to cover Barret’s wide nape. Pulling him in further and stepping closer at the same time, until their thighs touched. Barret hummed with obvious approval. His hand on the small of Cloud’s back urged him closer. Their continued kisses verged on heated.

Cloud tried to gradually disengage, lips clinging longer to Barret’s when he leaned forward and chased. They finally managed to break off. "Hey."

He angled Barret, and pushed until he sat on the bed.

Cloud knelt on the floor.

"Hold up…"

Cloud braced on Barret’s knees to reposition, before glancing up. "Just 'cause we fought, that don’t mean you gotta feel, y’know… obligated to…"

Cloud quietly snorted. "No shit."

Rising from his haunches to balance on his knees, Cloud reached for Barret’s rough pants. Looked at him, when he unclipped his belt and tugged both cloth flaps alongside the zipper to pull it down. "Want to suck you off."

Didn’t get an objection. Cloud smirked. Thought so.

Only response was a deep sigh Barret pulled in through his nose, anticipating. So Cloud pulled Barret’s pants down to expose his dark legs. Shifted his hands from the pile made around Barret’s ankles to the heels of his boots to slip them off first. He dropped the loose pants on the floor, just somewhere out of the way.

Then, he put his mouth on Barret’s bare inner thigh to suck and make a mark. At Barret’s groan above him, Cloud grabbed the waistband of his drawers and drew those down, too. Cloud idly licked his lips. It pulled another deep-seated groan out of Barret.

Between his fingers Cloud caught the curls above Barret’s swelling length, and laid his other hand along the stiff curve to hold him in place, when he ran his tongue up the underside. Swirling the flat of it just under Barret’s tip.

" _Shit,"_ Barret moaned.

Cloud glimpsed up, feeling Barret’s heavy look on him. Not completely ready for how heavy it was. Could’ve been bowled over by the intensity in it.

" _Mm-hmm…_ God, that feels amazing, baby." Cloud’s body warmed all over, a sudden sweeping flash he hadn’t been totally ready for either. A breath gusted through Barret’s lips when he bent his head back, becoming a snicker. "Shit you’re known to say, wouldn’t ever guess your mouth could be so sweet."

 _Moron_ , Cloud murmured beside his fully hard shaft, before dropping his tongue to lick _sweetly_ again. One hand came to cradle the softer skin of Barret’s sac as he laved. His other hand wrapped to circle Barret’s base, aim it toward him before sinking the head into his mouth.

Barret was big. No way could Cloud fit him entirely. But he breathed through his nose, and relaxed his throat, and dropped down, bobbing in slick stops and starts. Rubbing with a twist of his wrist the span he couldn’t reach with his lips.

" _Fuck,"_ Barret said, deeply, when Cloud squeezed his cupped palm with careful pressure at the same time. Crooned low, as Cloud dragged his lips up and off.

Cloud was considering the thin walls of his apartment, and his neighbor’s hearing abilities. Especially the downstairs one. Really didn’t need Marle to be giving him even more knowing cackles. "Keep it down, Barret."

"You realize how hard that’s gonna be, don’t ya?" Cloud’s only response was a lidded glower. "Yeah, all right… I’ll behave myself. Long as you don’t quit."

"Deal." Cloud wet his mouth again before sliding back down around Barret.

Barret’s grasp had been wrinkling Cloud’s bedcovers before. Cloud heard the rustle of him letting go, and sensed his posture curve so that he hunched over Cloud. Felt his big hand, when it landed heavy on top of his hair.

Something like an anxious flutter hovered for the first time in Cloud’s chest. He tensed, waiting for Barret to apply force. Cloud had been with people who thought it was hot to shove him down their cock. He’d never enjoyed it before — and one glare from his mako eyes had usually got the other person to take a hint and back off.

But Barret didn’t do the same. Just kept his palm molded there, not pushing, but comfortably following the dip and rise of Cloud’s head. Cloud found himself enjoying the simple heft of it, the gentle encompassing pressure with the touch.

It felt… nice, to be under Barret’s hand. To know he could trust himself there.

He changed his tempo, got a little more vigorous sucking. Still massaging Barret lower underneath, sometimes running his nails lightly under Barret’s twitching, huge thigh muscles. Cloud closed his eyes to enjoy it, and focus on doing the job right. Lost himself a little to soaking up the taste and heat of Barret on his tongue, spit leaking at the corners of his mouth.

He felt Barret’s upper thighs fidget again to keep from bucking hard. His thick fingers twitched around the crown of Cloud’s head through some of his hair, before deliberately relaxing again. "Oh, that’s good… _real_ good, Cloud." Cloud hummed quietly, around Barret, at the praise.

He pulled off with a wet slurp. Scowled at the embarrassing sound, then got over it. Barret’s hand slid down so he could run his thumb over Cloud’s puffy lower lip, and swipe some of the wetness in his mouth’s corner. He was staring at Cloud with too warm eyes, appreciating like Cloud was doing something special.

It was just a blowjob. Even as Cloud told himself that, he knew that wasn’t right. Felt like more. Everything did, with Barret.

Voice rough from swallowing Barret, Cloud cleared his throat and asked, "You want to cum on my face?"

He caught sight of the way Barret’s expression morphed from one kind of wonder to another. When Barret managed to get control again of his hanging open mouth, he asked back, "You serious?"

"Yeah." Cloud used his grip on Barret’s hips to shift further forward into the spread between Barret’s knees he’d made. Seemed weird, even to him, that he thought he wouldn’t mind. One more thing different. "Know how much you like marking me up. C’mon."

Cloud blinked, a pause of readiness, before he settled his loosely curled hands on his thighs, tilted his face back and softly parted his mouth. He waited, sitting lax and still. Glanced up slightly irritated, when Barret didn’t move. He pointedly sent his stare to Barret’s hand, then knocked his chin at Barret’s lap. Silently communicating that time, _C’mon._

Barret moved, and grabbed himself. He started fisting himself, quickly, up and down. Finally. Cloud watched with lidded eyes, until shutting them when he knew Barret was swiftly reaching his limit.

Cloud didn’t sway, but it was impossible to not flinch at the first splash. Or whine, involuntarily, from the back of his throat when the warm stickiness coated his lips, and cheek, and brow.

Squinting his eyes open when Barret must’ve finished, he saw Barret’s were on him. Heady and hooded, completely past turned on. Didn’t know how he looked himself. Cloud felt each drizzle start to slide down his stained face.

Cloud cast his own look down, wiping the back of his wrist over his shut but curling mouth. Except Barret gripped his chin to tug his face back up, not done looking at the mess. Not done plainly admiring the face underneath.

"Barret," Cloud breathed.

"Goddamn," rumbled Barret. "You hot motherfucker. Can’t believe you really let me…"

He released Cloud. Muttered, _Goddamn_ , again and fell back on Cloud’s bed with a huge blowing breath, spent.

Cloud inhaled, since he’d forgotten to the whole time Barret had held on. He got up off his knees and moved to the sink, to clean his face. Caught his ears turning red too, when he caught a glimpse of himself in the foggy mirror. Jaw was already turning sore from stretching around Barret’s girth. Good kind of sore. Cloud slapped the used wet cloth against the sink’s edge, and leaned the heel of one hand next to it, while canting a knee. Trying to ignore how strongly he still felt the ache too of his own erection.

He looked at Barret, who returned his look, recovering on Cloud’s bed. His gaze dropped to Cloud’s crotch.

Barret leveraged back up to sitting. "Here, I got you."

"It’s fine." Just 'cause he gave Barret a blowjob, didn’t mean he needed to get off as a favor.

Barret grumbled. "You sure 'bout that? Wouldn’t mind one bit."

"…I guess."

"Yeah," grinned Barret. After he came, his grin always did show easier — put him in a good, infectious mood.

Cloud was encouraged to turn around when he reached the bedside again. To straddle one of Barret’s thighs, back against his bigger chest. Barret’s palm on his spine halted him — just so he could remove his sunglasses from his shirt and set them somewhere on the bed to not be crushed. Cloud’s shirt rode up under his harness when Barret pulled him flush and fondled his chest, a thumb skating over Cloud’s nipple.

Cloud’s breath hitched, and released when Barret’s palm rubbed down his abs to reach between his legs and fondle there, through his pants. Cloud leaned into Barret to raise his hips and tug his belts off, get the top of his pants open.

Right away Barret fit his hand in to touch Cloud bare. A quiet gasp escaped on its own. Arousal flared in his core, seeing his cock enveloped entirely by Barret’s hand. He only closed his eyes against the brunt another onset of bliss brought. Barret’s mouth pressed to the top knob of Cloud’s spine, and then he spoke low next to Cloud’s ear.

"Y’know, don’t gotta get so worked up over us havin’ a fight. All it was — not the end of the world."

Should’ve known Barret would suspect Cloud’s thoughts. Keen as ever. With a sigh, Cloud dropped his head back onto Barret’s shoulder, letting him take the weight. "…I know. I get that."

"Then why I gotta tell you?"

Cloud huffed, rolling his face into the side of Barret’s neck while Barret kept touching him.

His breaths started growing more and more shallow, changing to pants and stifled whimpers. _Ah… Mm!_ Had wanted to keep quiet. Maybe with his mouth close as it was to Barret’s ear though, Barret could still hear something of the noises Cloud couldn’t lock up.

The answer was yes, since Barret murmured close to Cloud’s cheek, stubble rubbing skin, "You set me on fire with all the sounds you make, Cloud, baby. Y’know that?"

_"H-hah…!"_

Cloud hand fumbled to hold the back of Barret’s head, while he pushed on the toes of his boots, trying to boost higher into Barret’s tight fist. He was ready — shit, was he ready. Barret caught his desperation and stroked harder, faster.

"Barret… _ngh, fuck, Barret—!"_

Cloud’s back sharply bowed, and he couldn’t contain the shout when he spilled in Barret’s palm, or the whimper while Barret squeezed and drained him dry.

Panting as his senses slowly came back to him, Cloud found his face had lolled back into the crook of Barret’s neck. Before he could overthink it, while his guard was still blissfully down and he didn’t care, he brushed his lips across Barret’s skin under the corner of his jaw. He stood when his legs were stable enough to hold him.

He changed pants there in front of Barret, who languidly watched. Cloud couldn’t get his shirt completely unbunched without removing his harness. Didn’t care enough to bother.

He looked back at Barret, partially redressed too — his boots still off, and fly undone on the pants he’d pulled back up. Legs still sprawled open, upper body leaned back so that he rested on an elbow. Fully reclined like that, he was taking up Cloud’s bed like it was his spot. Cloud thought he looked all right there.

Done tracing Barret’s physique, he looked higher at Barret’s crinkling eyes and confidently spreading smirk. "I like you, Cloud Strife," he stated, bold and unashamed.

Being with Barret seriously was different. Barret’s smile spread wider at Cloud’s own hushed chuckle. "Yeah, well… Same to you, big man."

Could get used to different.

**Author's Note:**

> Eyyy, first time writing someone giving head. Marking it off the smut writer's bingo card.
> 
> @highfivestrife (nsfw)


End file.
